Police e-crime unit teams with banks for first arrest

Nine suspects in a banking Trojan case have been arrested by specialist cybercops from the UK's newly formed £7.4 million Police Central E-crime Unit (PCeU).

Leo King
April 9, 2009

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Nine suspects in a banking Trojan case have been arrested by specialist cybercops from the UK's newly formed £7.4 million Police Central E-crime Unit (PCeU).

The PCeU teamed with a special taskforce set up with a number of banks to make its first arrest.

The sting took place yesterday in south east London, using 50 police officers who targeted a range of addresses.

The five men and four women arrested are suspected of computer misuse, money laundering and conspiracy to defraud. They used a Trojan virus to access bank accounts, and sent out the virus from servers in different European locations, it is alleged. All were under 30 years old, and the youngest suspect was 18.

Two of the group have been charged this morning. Azim Rahmanov, 23, and Azamat Rhamanov, 25, both nationals of Uzbekistan living in the same address in Deptford, have been charged with conspiracy to defraud, possession of articles for use in fraud, and money laundering.

Both defendants were remanded in custody and have appeared at Horseferry Road Magistrates Court today.

Intelligence was gathered using a virtual taskforce of the police and major banks, which shared information with the PCeU.

The Metropolitan Police, which argued for the creation for the PCeU and is contributing £3.9 million of its funding over three years, has consistently argued that collaboration with businesses is the only way it can successfully solve e-crime.

“Today's taskforce operation has been a great example of the benefits of working in partnership, with industry and law enforcement,” said Metropolitan police deputy assistant commissioner Janet Williams, the head of the PCeU.